Cleaning nickel

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Waveski

Waveski

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In a recent thread I received several cautions regarding the use of the common Hoppes#9 cleaner in nickel plate , due to concerns over the ammonia in the product and it's effect on copper. One recommendation was for G96. A search of local gun stores and of Midway left me unsatisfied.

What product should I use on my nickel revolvers and where do I get it?

Thanks , 'Ski
 
I use mineral spirits (from my automotive parts washer) and Kano Kroil to clean the bore and chambers on my nickel plated revolvers. For all I know, those are bad choices, but they work for me.

As is often said, YMMV.


For the actual finish, I have often been surprised how shiny they can get with some Mother's Mag Polish and a little elbow grease. Here is an old 5" Model 10-5 that I cleaned up before selling it to a friend. It looked so good, I almost kept it.
 

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Waveski

I use WD40 to remove leftover powder residue and assorted gunk then I wipe the nickel plated parts down with a light coating of RemOil and a silicone cloth. When I want to clean the tarnish off and bring back the shine of the nickel plating I use Flitz metal polish.
 
Excellent. I have 2 nickel Smiths to clean , and your recommendations will be followed using products I already have.

Thank you. 'Ski
 
Nickel plated guns sound like prime candidates for cleaning with Ed's Red mixture. None of the solvents in the mix will attack any sort of metal and the light film of ATF left behind will both protect and give a nice shine as well as acting as a general lubricant.

Mother's, Flitz and other such polishes are fine when there's some dulling or small scuffs. But don't make a habit of using them regularly. These products are actually abrasive and every time you polish a nickel or chrome finish with them they remove a small amount of the thickness of the plating. Over time and with regular use this will result in NO plating.

The same applies to such polishing products as Silvo and Brasso.
 
FrogLube? Ballistol? Flitz?.....

I ordered a 4oz bottle of www.Froglube.com . It's non toxic & safe on most materials. The paste or liquid is not cheap but it is a great gun care product. Some gunners & armed professionals say it has a "mint" scent, Id call it more of a play-dough or Pepto Bismal :D .

Ballistol & Flitz shoud do well on nickel too but check the label. www.brownells.com
 
I've used Hoppes to clean the bore of nickel firearms, but I try to be very careful with it getting any on the exterior finish. Then wipe out/off the Hoppes completely. Unless there's a scratch or nick in the finish, the Hoppes "shouldn't" hurt anything. I admit the safer route would be to use cleaners with no ammonia in them.
 
Hoppes is not harmful to nickel, unless allowed to remain on the finish. Never soak your gun in it, as the hoppes can penetrate tiny openings and attack the underlying copper plate. Simply use the hoppes to clean the gun then wipe your gun clean, then use the corrosion resistant product of your choice. Best rule for Hoppes is "Use it then remove it"
 
I use Ed's Red minus the acetone
Click to expand...

I sort of do as well. Instead of acetone I use generic paint store lacquer thinner. Mind you that has a fair amount of acetone in it along with a few other "tones" and "lenes".

Did I mention that I wear nitrile gloves while using the stuff and open the doors and windows.

In my garage/machine shop reno due to start in a couple of weeks I'm going to include a fume exhaust to aid in drawing the fumes from solvents away from the cleaning area.
 
il.bill said:
I use mineral spirits (from my automotive parts washer) and Kano Kroil to clean the bore and chambers on my nickel plated revolvers. For all I know, those are bad choices, but they work for me.

As is often said, YMMV.


For the actual finish, I have often been surprised how shiny they can get with some Mother's Mag Polish and a little elbow grease. Here is an old 5" Model 10-5 that I cleaned up before selling it to a friend. It looked so good, I almost kept it.
Click to expand...
Kroil or any other solvent will cause you problems if you let it soak. Solvents/penetrating oils are designed to remove deposits, and nickel is just another deposit. Clean it and PROMPTLY remove the solvent & be sure it is completely dry. You'll be OK that way.
 
BCRider and Merle1 make good points I had not considered about using abrasive polish and solvents on nickel finishes.

Thinning the nickel on my 5 inch 10-5 is not a concern since I only polished it once, getting it ready for sale. Now I will know to use some discretion on my nickel plated snubbie when trying to shine it up.

I really like Kano Kroil, but going forward with that excellent penetrant I will have to keep in mind that "nickel is just another deposit".

Thanks for adding your wisdom to the thread, and thanks to all at THR who take the time to read and post when they have something valuable to add, even when the thread started a while ago. It means a lot to guys like me who still have an enormous amount to learn.
 
I have a nickel plated S&W mod 19 that I have used hoppes #9 Benchrest copper remover, solvent and oil to clean and preserve for many years. I do wipe the weapon down with a dry rag before storage. No adverse problems at all.
 
On a side note , I was a stainless snob for the first 2 years of my short 4 year handgun owning life. (At 62 I am a late bloomer...) I liked stainless because it is so durable , and I could Flitz the hell out of it. Glommed onto 6 ss handguns in rapid order. Then about 2 years back I laid eyes on a nickel plated Chief's Special and was deeply smitten. The luster of the nickel finish is irresistible to me. 4 nickel acquisitions in rapid order!

That said , I too have a lot to learn , and this forum is an invaluable resource.
 
Most nickle finishes can be wiped clean (exterior) and I like to follow up with either Mother's or Flitz. Hell I use Mother's and Flitz on everything. If the finish is really dirty I use just about any good solvent including mineral spirits, just don't leave the solvent on the finish long, clean it removing all solvent, dry it and polish it.

Ron
 
Ron, please note that Flitz and Mothers make things shiny due to the very fine abrasives used in these polishes. So don't rub them long and firmly or you're going to find out what is under the nickel.

As I posted earlier the ODD time you need to use one of these abrasive polishes to aid in removing a scuff or light scratch is one thing. To use them regularly is a whole other world of hurt over the long run.
 
BCRider said:
Ron, please note that Flitz and Mothers make things shiny due to the very fine abrasives used in these polishes. So don't rub them long and firmly or you're going to find out what is under the nickel.

As I posted earlier the ODD time you need to use one of these abrasive polishes to aid in removing a scuff or light scratch is one thing. To use them regularly is a whole other world of hurt over the long run.
Click to expand...
Absolutely, use as directed. Don't rub so hard as to remove finish, just surface dirt and imperfection. Thanks BC for bringing that up, they do have minor abrasive.

Ron
 
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